


A Day in the Life of Lynn's Stepfather

by Slashmommy



Category: Inspector Morse (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dysfunctional Family, M/M, Step-parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-08
Updated: 2013-07-08
Packaged: 2017-12-18 01:57:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/874377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slashmommy/pseuds/Slashmommy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Originally published on Morse_Lewis in 2006.  Morse's relationship with Lynn Lewis.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Day in the Life of Lynn's Stepfather

Morse rolled over to the sound of a herd of elephants running up the stairs. Opening his eyes slowly, he watched from bed as Lewis came racing into the room and started tearing through the closet. He watched in amusement for a while, but eventually curiosity got the better of him.

"What exactly are you looking for?"

"My jersey," Lewis muttered. "I wanted to wear it to the game."

"Check the airing cupboard."

"Ta, love," Lewis said, giving Morse a brief peck and heading out of the bedroom.

Morse tried to go back to sleep, but never quite made it. He kept hearing Lewis putter around the house as he got ready to go pick up Mark. He didn't bother to get up though. Instead, he lay in bed and enjoyed the sounds of having his lover living with him. It was times like this that he knew it had been worth it to retire from the force and take a position at a nearby probationer training centre. He finally got to have Lewis and, to be honest, he was taking much better care of himself now that he wasn’t constantly on call. When Lewis finally left the house, Morse finally gave up and got out of bed.

These days it was actually rare to have time completely to himself so Morse decided to enjoy it to its fullest. Pulling on his most comfortable lounging about clothing, he dressed and headed downstairs. Putting on his new recording of "Il dissoluto punito, o sia il Don Giovanni," Morse ensconced himself on the couch with the crossword puzzle book that Lynn had given him for Christmas.

Two hours passed and Morse was still in the same position on the couch. He wasn't sure where Lynn had found his puzzle book, but he was glad she had. Getting up to stretch and heading into the kitchen for a quick bite meant that he missed the sound of the front door opening.

"Hiya!" Lynn called out cheerfully, startling Morse as he dug around in the icebox.

Pulling back, Morse gazed at Lynn in confusion. He was sure that they hadn't been expecting her. Lewis would have told him.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. Can't I just stop in for a visit?"

"It is always a possibility, but you're a bit too cheerful to see me for that."

"Oh all right. You've got me. I've a paper to do and I need you to check it over for me."

"What class?"

"Social and Economic History. It's on the Standard of Living debates."

"History isn't exactly my area."

"Please, Morse? I brought the main essays so you could look them over."

Morse knew he couldn't refuse her, not when she gave him that look. It was the same one that Lewis gave him when he wanted something, but didn't want to say anything.

"You're a luv, Morse. Here, sit down and I'll make us a nice fry up while you start reading," Lynn said, pulling a stack of photocopies out of her backpack and handing them to him.

Morse let out an amused chuckle as he sat down at the kitchen table with his "homework" and Lynn started pulling things out of the icebox. He soon found himself engrossed in the reading. As he'd said, it wasn't his area, but it was still an interesting intellectual exercise. By the time Lynn finished cooking and they had eaten, Morse had the gist of the arguments down.

"Now then, Lynn, tell me what you think the two sides believe?"

"Okay, so Hartwell and his side are arguing numbers, in excruciating detail. He's saying that the standard of living didn't go down because they were still getting as much food, just not in the form they were used to in the past. Hobsbawm's argument though seems to pretty much be you're a jerk."

"Well, yes, he does seem to be saying that. However, I think what your lecturer is after is that Hobsbawm believes that what is important is not the actual numbers, but the perception of the working class."

"Their perception?"

"Tell me, Lynn, when you moved out of here for school, did your standard of living go down?"

"Of course. There were lots of things I could have here that I couldn't when I was on my own."

"Do you have a tv license?"

"Yes, you know we do. My flatmates and I all chipped in together."

"What are your average meals?"

"Beans or cheese on toast. Fish and chips. The occasional chicken curry jacket potato at the pub."

"Good. Now Hartwell would argue that your standard of living didn't lower at all. He'd point out that you're still getting plenty of protein and that you clearly still have money for luxuries like your tv license and trip to the pub. Hobsbawm, on the other hand, would say that that was rubbish and that what is important is your perception of your standard of living and that it clearly went down."

"I guess that makes sense -- at least enough to write my paper. So they're not really saying that the numbers are wrong, just that the value placed on those things is wrong."

"That's right."

"Okay," Lynn said, clearly still not happy with the argument, but going with it. "I better get to work on my paper then."

"Why don't you set up your laptop in the living room? I'll clean up in here."

"Thanks, Morse. I really do appreciate your help. Dad's great and all, but he tends to just send me to the library."

"I should probably send you there as well."

"But you won't," Lynn said cheerfully, giving him a peck on the check and heading out of the kitchen.

***********************************************************

Having finished washing the dishes, Morse had gone back to his puzzle book. Periodically, Lynn would call out a question, either grammatical or about the arguments she was writing about, but mostly they just worked quietly together. They both jumped when they heard the door slam shut. Getting up quickly, Morse went to check on Lewis. He hadn't been expecting Mark and Lewis for another hour or so. He wanted to groan aloud when he saw that Lewis was alone.

"Where's Mark?"

"His mum's."

"Trouble?"

"Just not wanting to spend the night at his poof father's."

"I'm sorry, Lewis," Morse said, reaching out to run a hand down Lewis' arm. "Give him time."

"Aye. So what did you get up to with me out of your hair for the day? Did the neighbors phone to complain about your music," Lewis teased.

"Actually, I had company."

"Company? What are you talking about? I'm family," Lynn said as she came into the foyer. "Hi Dad."

"Lynn? What's wrong? What are you doing here?"

"You two are going to give me a complex. Why do you both assume that something is wrong just because I drop by? Hmm?"

"What class was it?" Lewis asked Morse.

"Social and Economic History."

"Since when do you help her with history? I thought she only pestered you for help with your highbrow stuff?"

"Argh! You two! I would have come by even if I hadn't wanted to ask Morse for help."

"Of course you would, luv," Lewis said with a chuckle as his daughter flounced back into the living room.

Morse followed Lewis into the living room and watched as he and his daughter joked around. Closing his eyes, he hoped Mark would come around soon, but until then, at least they had Lynn.


End file.
